PUDUCHERRY (PONDICHERRY)

Sri Aurobindo Ashram - A spiritual ashram of India fouded by Mirra Alfassa (also known as ‘The Mother’) was spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo, who was born in Paris and was so inspired by his philosophy that she stayed on in Pondicherry. After 24 November 1926, when Sri Aurobindo retired into seclusion, she founded his ashram (Sri Aurobindo Ashram), and became the spiritual guru of the community, a position she held until her death. The idea of Auroville or the "City of Dawn" was conceived by ‘The Mother’.

Auroville - With its name meaning ‘The City of Dawn’ is a township located 8 kilometers from Pondicherry. It was founded in 1968 by Sri Aurobindo and Mira Alfassa and was designed by the French architect Roger Anger. The idea was to create a universal town  where men and women from all countries come and live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities’’ .

Puducherry Promenade - It's a long stretch of rocky beach which has a provision to sit around and also a wide pavement for morning and evening walk. Just before sunset it turns alive and the crowd keeps rising.

Ousteri Wetland - Located on the Pondicherry-Villuppuram road at a distance of 10 kilometers from the town of Pondicherry, the Ousteri Wetland and National Park covers an area of around 3.9 sq kilometers.

Botanical Garden - Located south of the new bus stand in Pondicherry, the botanical garden was founded in 1826 and is another example of French influence in Pondicherry. The structure of the gate makes the whole place stand out in its otherwise Tamil town location. It was originally laid out in a typical French style garden, with gravel lined paths, pruned trees and fountains. The place features many different species of exotic plants and shrubs from all around the world. The place was turned into a botanical garden in 1931 by the French botanist and horticulturist George S. Perrottet. 

Mahatama Gandhi Statue - Located on the Promenade this statue of Mahatma Gandhi was built by sculptor Roy Choudhary surrounded by eight exquisitely carved monolithic granite 17th century pillars that were brought from Gingee - a fort about 70 kms from Pondicherry - after the capture of the fort. The statue of Gandhi stands 13 feet high. It is especially striking when you see the statue and pillars from a distance.

French War Memorial - Located on the Goubert Avenue, the French war memorial was built in 1971 to commemorate the loss of the brave French soldiers during the First World War. Every year on Bastille Day (July 14th) the memorial is illuminated and pays homage to the soldiers. It is a must visit place for the tourists, especially when visited on Bastille Day as the commemoration ceremony is a marvellous sight to gander at and offers an amazingly pleasant experience.

Dupleix Statue - The statue of Joseph Francois Dupleix is situated in the beach road, you reach it at the end of the promenade road and is hard to miss. Dupleix was an integral part of Pondicherry’s colonial past. He was the governor of Pondicherry between 1742 and 1754.

Manakula Vinayagar Temple - This temple is one of the most popular temples in Pondicherry. It is dedicated to Lord Ganesh, one of the most popular Hindu deities.

Pondicherry Museum - Pudicherry museum though small has a gallery with sculptures and has the remains of archaeological findings from the Arikamedu Roman settlement. The museum also has a collection of rare bronzes and stone sculptures from the Pallava and Chola dynasties and artifacts excavated from Arikamedu (an ancient port just 7 km from city.

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus - Basilica is situated on the south boulevard, is an oriental specimen of Gothic architecture. It contains rare stained glass panels depicting events from the life of Christ.This church was supposed to have been erected in the 18th century by French Missionaries. Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a Catholic church and is a white-and-brown structure.

Immaculate Conception Cathedral  - Consecrated in 1791, the 300 year old church is the cathedral for the Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore. The Immaculate Conception Cathedral as we see today was built on the place where three other churches were built before the French occupation of Pondicherry. The construction started in 1791 and further improvements were made to the building till 1987. The feast of the church is celebrated on the 8th of December every year. The church was also visited by Mother Teresa and is one of the oldest churches in Puducherry.

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